Mechanical fuel-feeding apparatus.



I. STORDAHL. MECHANICAL FUEL *FE EDING APPARATUS.

- APPLICATION FILED FEB. B 1915.

Patented June 22, 1915'.

INGOMAR STORDAHL, OF MILES CITY,

T 5f time MQLNTANA.

MECHANICAL FUEL-FEEDING APFARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915..

Application filed February *3, 1315. Serial Ito. 6,949.

' To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, INooMAn STORDAI-IL, a citizen of Norway, residing at Miles City, in the county of Custer and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Fuel-Feeding Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in mechanical fuel feeding devices for automatically delivering to a furnace or heater a supply of fuel at a predetermined time. i L

In understanding the primary object of my invention it may be menti'oned that it is generally customary in operating furnaces or similar heaters to throw onto the fire just prior to retiring a sullicient quantity ofcoal, and leaving the door of the furnace open, allow the banked fire to smoulder until monuing. Now the disadvantage'of this is that one must arise in a cold house and. suffer the from lack of hot Water as Well as other inconveniences, due to the fact that the tempera ture has fallen during the night; to overcome the difficulty it is necessary to arise very early for the purpose of putting coal onto the lire, closing the furnace door and starting up the draft to generate h'eat quickly, resulting, of course, in a waste of fuel and heat unlts. v

With this in view my purpose has been to provide a suitable feeding apparatus, s'inr ple in. construction yet capable of efiicicnt service, which comprises a fuel supply receptacle disposed adjacent to the furnace with which coiiperates a tripping arrangement controlled by a liquid holding container which the liquid is allowed to drain until an unbalanced condition is reached, whereupon the fuel receptacle is automate cally opened to deliver its contents into the fire pot of the furnace.

A further object of my invention is to provide the fuel receptacle of my apparatus with a door or closure which normally malntaius the contents therein but coacts in an operated position with the furnace entrance in such a manner as to constitute a chute for the delivery of the coal.

Another object of this invention lies rn the provision of an operative connection 1ntermediate the furnace door and the feeding apparatus, such that upon delivery of the fuel into the said furnace the door is automatically closed.

.tremity These and such other obj cots as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination. and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically descri ed and claimed.

Reference will now he had. to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation in normal unoperated position, of an apparatus forming the embodiment of this invention, the fuel receptacle being broken away and shown in section. Fig. 2 is a similar view, parts being shown in section and illustrating the apparatus in its operated position for delivery of coal to the furnace or heater. Fig. 311s a similar view showing the apparatus in its final position assumed automatically andarranged for closing of the furnace door. Specifically describing the invention, the numeral 1 designates a supporting standard adjustably connected to the supporting base 2 by means of a fastening member or set screw 3. At one side of the standard adjacent its upper extremity is located the fuel receptacle 4 of any desired shape and size but capable of holding a predetermined amount of fuel which would constitute at least a single supply for delivery to a furnace, such as represented by the referonce character 5 adjacent to which the apparatus is disposed. The receptacle is provided preferably with a cover 6 at its top and secured adjacent to its upper end is an operating cord or cable 7 the other end of which is any desired manner. The receptacle 4 is provided with a movable bottom or closure member 9 hingedly connected at 10 and said bottom, it will be observed is of special form in that it is for'a purpose to be explained. more clearly as this description proceeds. The bottom has hingcdly connected to its outer end a chute section 12 and a latch bar 13 is movably secured to the receptacle preferably adjacent its upper end so as to interlock or engage with the outer end. of the botton 9 through the instrumentality of its catch ex- It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that in the normal position of the apparatus the bottom 9 is held in closed position by means of the latch bar 13 which acts to sustain the contents of the receptacle until delivery of such contents to the furnace or secured to the furnace door 8 inprovidcd with side members 11 heater 5 is desired. To accomplish the automatic delivery of the fuelfrom this receptacle I employ an automatic tripping arrangement consisting of a tripping bar 15 pivoted at 16 intermediate its length to the upper portion of the standard 1. To one extremity ofthis bar is pivotally connected a movable section 17 the function of which is dual in that in the normal position of the apparatus the section is adapted to be disposed vertically and to engage beneath the bottom 9 of the receptacle 1, in which position it sustains the tripping bar 15 in normal inoperated position. It will be observed also by reference to Fig. 1 that the member 17 when it is released from its engaging position moves in an are that permits of engagement of the extremity of said member with the catch 14 of the latch bar 13, such engagement being designed for the purpose of releasing the catch from the bottom of the receptacle and allowing such bottom to re lease the coal contained by the receptacle. When the bottom of the receptacle is released it falls into the position shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and. the bottom 9 constituting in such position a chute in cooperation with the chute section 12, the fuel will pass from the receptacle through the furnace door or e113 trance into which the chute section 12 drops when released bythe latch bar 13. The automatic tripping action of the tripping bar 15 is controlled by means new to be described. Disposed on said her at its end opposite to the end carrying the releasing member 17 is a receptacle 18 adapted preferably to contain liquid and provided with a drain cook or valve 19 from which the liquid intermittently or progressively passes. 1 preferably provide the container 18 for purposes of convenience with a sight gage 20 or other predetermining means for enabling a proper amount of liquid to be introduced thereinto.

It will be noted by reference to the drawing that the standard or support 1 is formed with an upper movable section 1 pivotally secured at 21, this upper section carrying the receptacle 41 at one side and being held in its vertical position by said receptacle when the latter contains a supply of fuel.

To limit the movement of the section 1 so that it will maintain a vertical position nor{/ mally I secure a stop member or bar 22 to the lower section of the standard, said bar extending above the lower section so as to form a rest against which the upper section l engages. This arrangement is designed for an automatic operation by which the door of the furnace is closed after the supply of fuel from the receptacle has been delivered to said furnace. The receptacle in carrying out this object is provided with an I offstanding arm 23 secured to its upper portron and extending rearwardlyof the appacicnt supply offuel is introduced into the.

receptacle 1 which positioned in its normal position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the latch bar13 having been engaged with the bottom 9 as disclosed by Fig.,1.- 'In the container 18 a predetermined amount of liquid, such as water, is placed and the release member 17 engaged beneath the bottom of the receptacle as shown, wherein the tripping member 15 is held in horizontal position. Opening the drain 19 for the re'ceptacle18 the liquid will drop therefrom until the supply is exhausted at which time it is designed that the tripping bar will move on its pivot 16 in a manner to release the member 17 for pivotal movement as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1. Such pivotal movement of the member 17 brings itsouter end into engagement with the catch 14 of the bar 13 releasing the bottom of the receptacle, whereupon said bottom with its chute section 12 drops into position with the latter extending into the entrance the furnace.- The fuel passes from the receptacle into the fire pot of the heater whereupon the receptacle is over-balanced by the weight member 24. which causes the upper section 1 carrying the receptacle to move on its pivot 21 into the position shown in Fig. 3. 1n falling into this position the operative connection 7 intermediate the receptacle and the door actuates the door to close the same, whereupon the furnace is in a condition for generating a goodly supply 'f'heat as desired.

It will be-obvious that the operation of this apparatus may be desirably controlled by experience and tests, for enabling just the proper amount of liquid to be'placed in'the receptacle 18-which will exhaust at a predetermined time, such for iiistance asduring the later hours of the night, the exact time being determined by the quantity of liquid which is used.

It will be noticed by reference to Fig. 2 that the container 18 is especially designed to coact with the section 1 of the supporting standard for limiting the downward movement of the receptacle bottom 9. ,This is advantageous, as will be obvious, to insure the proper delivery of fuel to the-furnace.

Changes may readily be made in the details of construction of'this apparatus without departing from the spirit of this invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a fuel receptacle, a movable closure member therefor, means for maintaining the closure member inoperative, a support for said receptacle for disposing the same adjacent to the furnace, a tripping member arranged adjacent to the receptacle and enacting with the closure member, and means on said tripping member adapted to predetcrminately release the tripping member to cause disengagement of the holding means for the closure member and delivery of the fuel to the furnace.

2. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a fuel receptacle, a closure member therefor, means for maintaining the closure member inoperative, a tripping member adjacent to the receptacle and cngageable with the closure member, and counterbalance means on said tripping member adapted at a predetermined time to cause the tripping member to release the holding means for the closure member aforesaid.

3-. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a fuel receptacle, a closure member therefor, means for maintaining the closure member inoperative, a tripping member adjacent to the receptacle, means carried by said tripping member adapted to engage the receptacle for holding the tripping member in normal position, and counterbalance means on the tripping member adapted at a predetermined time to cause the tripping member to release the holding means for the closure member aforesaid.

4. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a fuel receptacle, a movable closure member therefor, holding means for the closure, and means for tripping the holding means to release the contents of the receptacle and for limitingmovement of the closure member, said closure member constituting a chute in release position for conveying the fuel. into the furnace.

5.. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a .fuel receptacle, a closure member pivotally mounted at the bottom of said receptacle, a the closure member latch normally holding in closed position, a trip bar tiltingly mounted adjacent to the receptacle for releasing the latch, and means on said bar for auto matically causing tilting action thereof.

6. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a fuel receptacle, a closure member pivotally mounted at the bottom of said receptacle, a latch normally holding the closure member in closed position, a trip bar pivoted inter-.

mediate its ends' adjacent to the receptacle, a latch on aging member connected to the bar and a apted to hold the bar in normal position-5' and tripeontrol means on said her for releasing the latch engaging member to permit disengagement of the latch member and movement of the closure.

7. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a fuel receptacle, a closure member therefor, holding means for the closure member, and a tripping member for tripping the holding means to open the receptacle including control means for controlling the movement of said closure member, said means comprising a liquid holding receptacle adapted to contain a predetermined amount of liquid whereby from: to permit movement member for releasing the closure member.

8. In a mechanical feeding apparatus for furnaces and the like, the combination of a fuel receptacle, a closure. member therefor, holding means for the closure member, a tripping member pivoted intermediate its length adjacent to the receptacle and engageable at one end with the closure member to hold the tripping member in normal position, and means controlling movement of the tripping member carried by the other end, said means comprising a liquid holding receptacle from Which the liquid is gradually drained whereby to unbalance the tripping member at a predetermined time for releasing th holding means aforesaid.

9. T l uecombination with a furnace having a door, of fuel feeding apparatus therefor disposed adjacent to the furnace and comprising a fuel receptacle, a support therefor on which said receptacle is disposed for movement, connecting means intermediate the furnace door and the receptacle, and discharging means for said receptacle for permitting delivery of ,its fuel contents to the furnace, said receptacle being automatically movable upon such discharge to actuate the furnace door.

10. The combination With a furnace having'a door, of fuel feeding apparatus therefor disposed adjacent to the furnace and comprising a fuel receptacle,'a support-for said receptacle consisting tion to which said receptacle is attached, counterbalance means arranged to overbalance the receptacle when discharged whereby upon discharge of its contents to move the movable support section into inoperative position, and means intermediate the receptacle and the furnace door for actuating the latter upon movement of said receptacle.

11. The combination with a furnace having a door, of fuel feeding apparatus therefor disposed adjacent to the furnace and comprising a fuel receptacle, a support for said receptacle consisting of a movable section to which said receptacle is attached, counterbalance means arranged to overbalof the trippin" the holding means and mice therezeptacle when discharged where-- upon draining of said liquid thereof a movable seci 12. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination With a furnace, of fuel feeding apparatus therefor comprising a receptacle, a standard for said receptacle consisting of a movable section to which the receptacle is connected at one side, a counterbalance member extending from said movable section oppositely with respect to the receptacle, a movable closure member for said receptacle, means for maintaining said closure member in closed position for sustaining the contents of the receptacle, automatic tripping mechanism for causing release of. the closuremember includingcontrol means for controlling tripping action of,

the tripping member whereby to release the contents of the receptacle for delivery to the furnace at a predetermined time and to move said receptacle into an inoperative position upon discharge of said contents.

13. In an apparatus of the class described,

time,

the combination with 'a. furnace, of fuel feeding apparatus therefor comprising a reccptacle, a standard for said receptacleconsisting of a movable section to which the receptacle is connected at one side, a counterbalance' member extending from said movable section oppositely with respect to the receptacle, amovable closure member for said receptacle, means for maintaining said closure member in-closed position for sustaining the contents of the receptacle, automatically tripping mechanism for, causing release of the closure member including control means for controlling tripping action of the tripping member whereby to release the contents of the receptacle for delivery to thefurnace at a predetermined and an operating connection interme. diate. the receptacle and lthe furnace door whereby upon discharge of the receptacle contents the receptacle is moved into inoperative position and the door of the 'furnacei's automatically actuated.

In testimon I whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. INGOMAR STORDAHL. Witnesses Geo. W. FARR, I H. E. Hermon. 

